I have been asked to take my friends management job due to FTE reduction. I have been working for the company for over 25 years, and am currently working at the "Main" office. Due to economic downturn our main office is required to reduce FTE's. A good friend of mine currently is managing one of our locations and is being fired to make room for me to take his place (He would be removed whether or not this move happens). I have been involved with the branch and know most of the employees, and have been the interum manager in the past while we found a replacement manager. I have a great repor with the employees, and hope that they will understand.....
I am asking for guidence on a podcast, or recomendations on any tips on how to manage the transition being that the optics could look bad on my part. Or what should the time frame look like. I have been in somesort of management since 2006, and adopted the Manager Tools program for years.
How much can this transition be a non-transition?
My first thoughts are around trying to minimize the turbulence of the transition period. Search up "90 Day New Job Plan" podcasts in the Map of the Universe, clicking next to the "Ask AI" graphic atop the articles here. Make as few changes as necessary -- the more you want to signal respect for his past work, the fewer and slower the changes. Get whatever you can from the friend you're stepping in for, to support solid performance review content and relationship building. Continue what you can of his, until you have something even more sensible to have the branch folks do instead.
Also, put in the time to talk with people. As branch head manager, you're not in "hope they will understand" territory; you've got to tell them directly, even if they actually do understand. And be careful how you phrase it! It's more accurate to say (unless I misread you) that you're stepping in because he's going away, rather than he's going away because you're stepping in -- these imply different results had there been no FTE reduction imperative.
Give your friend the recommendations and kudos he deserves. Make efforts to let rewards and other consequences under his watch to play out. Acknowledge those who supported him effectively. If your organization's planning cycle is calendar year, the timing is good for this transition, with little wasted time between the "do 'nothing' for 90 days" advice and the usual start-of-year goals reset.